Located in the Caribbean region, with offices in Trinidad, the Dominican Republic and Aruba.

Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) Partners include: Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), Caribbean Epidemiology Center (CAREC), Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), Governing Council, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Green Globe and the International Hotels Environment Initiative (IHEI).

Tourism represents 31.1 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product of the Caribbean region and provides nearly three million jobs. The tourism attractiveness of the region is dependent mainly upon white sandy beaches and azure waters. However, these delicate ecosystems are being threatened by the vast growth of the tourism industry.

Environmental legislation is most often non-existent in Caribbean States, and current laws are usually overlooked in the name of development. As markets continue to open in the Caribbean and business increases, there is a need to ensure that development proceeds in harmony with environmental and cultural parameters.

Since its inception in 1962, the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) has been instrumental in developing the Caribbean as a competitor in the world tourism market. In recognition of the pressing need to proactively manage resources and address these concerns for sustainable development, the CHA Environmental Committee was established in 1992. In order to create an effective mechanism that would institutionalize environmental activities throughout the region, the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) was created three years later. CAST's goals lead to a more competitive tourism product through:

- the implementation of the principles of Agenda 21 in the Caribbean tourism industry;
- the assistance of hoteliers in the effective management of natural resources;
- the provision of environmental expertise and services to members;
- the gain of international recognition for Caribbean hoteliers.
CAST is an agreement between the Caribbean Hotel Association, Green Globe 21 and the International Hotel Environment Initiative (IHEI). Regional business leaders provided financial assistance for the creation of CAST.

CAST delivers practical, hands-on services to hoteliers. Its mission is to enhance the quality of the region's hotel and tourism operators by offering education and training on sustainable tourism. CAST also promotes the industry's efforts and successes to the traveling public and other stakeholders and serves as a vital link to all take holders with sustainable tourism interests in the Wider Caribbean Region. CAST offers its members cost savings through more efficient energy, water, and solid waste management initiatives.

- Energy resources (Chapter VII of the Barbados Programme of Action)
- Tourism resources (Chapter VIII of the BPoA)

Reduction of natural resources consumption by the region's tourism industry.

- Partnerships and joint efforts lead to success and a much wider audience.
- Capacitating hotel operators to improve their activities has resulted in improved environmental performance, lower consumption of natural resources, and environmental stewardship.
- The trade association's assistance is vital to reaching the hotel sector.
- Hotel industry leaders are needed on each island as role models to encourage participation and motivate other hoteliers to begin environmental actions.
- National Coordinators are functional to the strengthening of national efforts.

Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST)
1000 Ponce de Leon Ave., 5th floor
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907
Tel.: (787) 725-9139
Fax: (787) 725-9166/9108
E-mail:castinfo@cha-cast.com
Web site: www.cha-cast.com